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Aquaculture, also called aqua farming, is the farming of aquatic animals. These animals include fish, crustaceans, and aquatic plants. Unlike commercial fishing, aquaculture is performed in controlled conditions. The farm is owned by either a business or single person, and they have responsibilities to ensure the animals are not harmed by predators and are kept fed and in good conditions. Without ensuring this, they would run the risk of not making a good profit from fish farming. Aquaculture can be performed in man-mad bodies of water or in natural oceans, rivers, and ponds.
Environmental Impact:
To ensure the safety of the environment and the quality of the food being produced, aqua farms must meet certain guidelines and pass inspection from various government agencies. For example, in the United States, fish farms must be overseen by he department of agriculture, the environmental protection agency, the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, the fish and wildlife service, and the food and drug administration. Despite these measures to protect the environment, there are still some negative effects of fish farming. For example, fish on fish farms require special dietary needs. Their food often comes in pellet form and not all of it is eaten by the fish. The remaining food settles to the bottom of the water, where it is consumed and decomposed of by microorganisms. This interruption of these species natural food cycle can affect the environment. Farmers also tend to add antibiotics and other supplements to the food and these can make their way into the diet of other organisms that they weren’t intended for. The effects on the environment depend on what species is being farmed, where the farm is located, and how responsible the farm owners are.
Aquaculture is a very increasingly fast growing industry. The world demands for fish and seafood requires many aqua farms internationally. China not only has the longest history of fish farming, but they still produce the most seafood in the world today. They have been the number one nation in seafood production since 1990. Because China has many rice paddies, rivers, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, many of the aqua farms are freshwater running. Among these options, pond aquiculture is the most important and common form of inland aquaculture. Pond aquaculture is responsible for about 70 percent of inland fish farming worldwide.
The reasons many people embrace aquaculture is for its economic effects. Many rural communities can get involved with aquaculture and families are able to make a living off of it. These small, family-run farms can, however, clash with major corporate fish farms. As a result of this conflict, many smaller farms are being bought out by larger ones. This means that the employment rate in aquaculture drops but the production is more efficient. It also means more profit is made, but there is a larger impact on the environment. In aqua farming, oftentimes the economic concerns come first, before the environmental concerns.
Aquaculture is a vital process to contribute to world food supply, but it is presenting more and more challenges including profitability and environmental concerns. Most of the environmental concerns are aimed towards developing countries who don’t have effective laws and regulations in place for fish farms. Also, implementing technology, such as recirculating water systems, can help reduce the negative environmental impact of aquaculture. Aquaculture is an important part of world food supply and also countries’ economic statuses. Scientists and farmers are working together to modify the techniques of aqua farming in order to make it safer and more profitable.
Aquaculture, also called aqua farming, is the farming of aquatic animals. These animals include fish, crustaceans, and aquatic plants. Unlike commercial fishing, aquaculture is performed in controlled conditions. The farm is owned by either a business or single person, and they have responsibilities to ensure the animals are not harmed by predators and are kept fed and in good conditions. Without ensuring this, they would run the risk of not making a good profit from fish farming. Aquaculture can be performed in man-mad bodies of water or in natural oceans, rivers, and ponds.
Environmental Impact:
To ensure the safety of the environment and the quality of the food being produced, aqua farms must meet certain guidelines and pass inspection from various government agencies. For example, in the United States, fish farms must be overseen by he department of agriculture, the environmental protection agency, the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, the fish and wildlife service, and the food and drug administration. Despite these measures to protect the environment, there are still some negative effects of fish farming. For example, fish on fish farms require special dietary needs. Their food often comes in pellet form and not all of it is eaten by the fish. The remaining food settles to the bottom of the water, where it is consumed and decomposed of by microorganisms. This interruption of these species natural food cycle can affect the environment. Farmers also tend to add antibiotics and other supplements to the food and these can make their way into the diet of other organisms that they weren’t intended for. The effects on the environment depend on what species is being farmed, where the farm is located, and how responsible the farm owners are.
Aquaculture is a very increasingly fast growing industry. The world demands for fish and seafood requires many aqua farms internationally. China not only has the longest history of fish farming, but they still produce the most seafood in the world today. They have been the number one nation in seafood production since 1990. Because China has many rice paddies, rivers, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, many of the aqua farms are freshwater running. Among these options, pond aquiculture is the most important and common form of inland aquaculture. Pond aquaculture is responsible for about 70 percent of inland fish farming worldwide.
The reasons many people embrace aquaculture is for its economic effects. Many rural communities can get involved with aquaculture and families are able to make a living off of it. These small, family-run farms can, however, clash with major corporate fish farms. As a result of this conflict, many smaller farms are being bought out by larger ones. This means that the employment rate in aquaculture drops but the production is more efficient. It also means more profit is made, but there is a larger impact on the environment. In aqua farming, oftentimes the economic concerns come first, before the environmental concerns.
Aquaculture is a vital process to contribute to world food supply, but it is presenting more and more challenges including profitability and environmental concerns. Most of the environmental concerns are aimed towards developing countries who don’t have effective laws and regulations in place for fish farms. Also, implementing technology, such as recirculating water systems, can help reduce the negative environmental impact of aquaculture. Aquaculture is an important part of world food supply and also countries’ economic statuses. Scientists and farmers are working together to modify the techniques of aqua farming in order to make it safer and more profitable.
Video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPvGumiwtDU
Sources for Pictures:
http://www.speakupforblue.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Aquaculture-effects.jpg
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/publications/article/img/fish_farming.jpg
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/wateruse/wuaquaculture-map-2005.gif
sources for summary:
www.csa.com/discoveryguides/aquacult/overview.php
www.thenaa/faqs/about-us-aquaculture